Monthly Archives: August 2017

“The softness of a summer day is like an ermine paw.” Anais Nin (1937), The Diary of Anais Nim (1967

SUMMER IN NORTH CAROLINA this year has sizzled with temperatures in the high 90’s and gracing 100 degrees from time to time. Still, we’ve been blessed with the blooming majesty of summer flowers in our garden, and delicious produce fresh from our small vegetable patch, and the local farms and orchards. Before I commit to preparations for the Fall season, I enjoy a last look.

WE FOUND MANY LAZY DAYS to take a walk, explore or just sit on our porch with an icy sweet tea:

WE ATE OUR FILL of fried green tomatoes, “Mater” sandwiches and just picked tomatoes in so many dishes with fresh vegetables.

WE DINED ON FRESH green beans, even tried greasy beans (new to us), savored juicy cantelopes and all things peaches:

WE NEVER TIRED OF WATCHING the birds in our back yard from our sunroom – house wrens, cardinals, bluebirds, yellow finches, woodpeckers, hummingbirds.

THE SQUIRRELS WOULD NOT leave the bird feeder alone – until we set up a Yankee Flipper that is weighted to throw them off. They quickly learned, after several tries, to leave the bird feed alone, but they gave us plenty of belly laughs while they learned to stay away from it.

THIS VIEW OF NATURE has made our sunroom a real sanctuary for rest and reflection. Our dog Bear likes it too. His job is to look for squirrels.

THE WEATHER PREDICTION is for a cooling front this weekend. As we step over into September, I am filled with gratitude for the bounty of summer 2017 that has enriched my life.

“How softly summer shuts, without the creaking of a door.” Emily Dickinson (1880) in M.L.Todd. Letters of Emily Dickinson (1894).

Learning Something New Every Day

I have enjoyed careers as a nurse, developmental psychologist, family therapist, University Professor and Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. I retired from full-time academic work and am now actively engaged in new experiences as a free-lance writer. Publications include articles on theoretical inquiry, health issues, health policy, marriage and family, adolescents, food. It's a joy to interact with friends and new acquaintances on issues of women living full and interesting lives after 50. It's a good day when I can learn something new.
Sue Marquis Bishop, PhD